title: Preoperative serum tumor-associated antigen levels in women with pelvic masses.
abstract: Preoperative sera were assayed for tumor-associated antigens CA 125, TAG 72, and CA 15-3 in 100 women with pelvic masses. Serum CA 125 levels were elevated above 65 U/mL in 83% of 42 patients with ovarian malignancies, in 58% of 12 patients with nonovarian malignancies, and in 17% of 46 patients with benign pelvic masses. Elevations of TAG 72 and CA 15-3 levels occurred less frequently in all groups of patients. Serum CA 125 levels distinguished most effectively between patients with malignant pelvic masses and those with benign pelvic masses, having a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 83% at a threshold level of 65 U/mL. When comparing 33 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinomas to 46 patients with benign masses, the CA 125 level alone yielded a sensitivity of 88% with a specificity of 83%. Coordinate elevations of CA 125 (above 65 U/mL) and TAG 72 (above 10 U/mL) or CA 15-3 (above 30 U/mL) distinguished ovarian epithelial carcinomas from benign masses with a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 98%, which improved to 81 and 100%, respectively, among patients over 50 years of age. Given the marked increase in specificity observed with this panel of three serum tumor-associated antigens, use of multiple markers might facilitate screening for ovarian carcinoma and appropriate referral of patients with pelvic masses for cytoreductive operations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Soper
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Creasman
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bast
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate